Uncommon Attraction
by Geeky Craze
Summary: For years, there was only one person April O'Neil could trust: her best friend. And so, when April became a part of the turtle family, she quickly craved to bring her friend, Lumina, into that new life. However, things don't go as planned when Lumina and the four mutants meet and has a most disastrous affect. (Splinter Love Story)
1. Chapter 1

**_Please comment! It's my only motivation for updates._** Speaking of updates; they will be very slow, because I have other fanfictions I am working on.

 _Disclaimer: I only own my OC - everyone and everything else belongs to Nickelodeon._

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Central New York remained filled with chatter and kept bustling through the night with no end. The night sky coated the streets and buildings like a thick blanket, filling the alleyways with an unwatchable darkness and an eerie unknown. Everyone, without a single thought dwelling on what lurks beneath their city, strolled down the streets and went about their business, most with their oblivious gazes glued to the glowing technology in their hands, typing away.  
Above their heads and blurring with unclear and questionable streaks, green figures leaped from one rooftop to the other with incredible speed, a red and yellow figure following close behind. On the sidewalk and ways ahead, a pair of human feet clapped vigorously against the sidewalk tar and sent a young girl zooming from one point to another faster than her legs were meant to carry her. Incredibly long and curly red locks billowed behind her, caused by her incredible speed, while her brown orbs still remained spread wide in horror. The farther she forced herself to run, the more her warm breaths turned shallow and fast, evidence of her unavoidable exhaustion. The exaggerated heels that were strapped to her feet caused their soles to sting and her legs to ache, but still she didn't think to take them off.  
No one expected this to happen.

 **Earlier:**

Within the endless maize of subway tunnels that wound deep beneath the city, four green figures were strapping themselves with weapons and egg grenades, hiding their eyes behind red, purple, blue, and orange bandannas. While their shells remained glued to their backs, they had no luxury with the supplies they needed for the night's objective – finding mutagen, so took great care to prepare. Once they were done, they all jumped from the abandoned subway station and into the Shellraizer with enthusiastic whoops, all ready to get the night's scavenging started (and finished).

Donnie had the normal locator grasped between his six fingers while they sped through the streets of New York in their vehicle, already on the trail of another canister, but while he barked orders, his mind couldn't help but wander towards April – as it so often did. Even if she forgave them for the horror they had caused on her father, he still couldn't help the horrific tang of guilt poisoning his mutant heart. Of course, a lot has happened since then – Casey joining their team for one, but that doesn't change anything for him – they still caused all this pain.

As if torturing his heart even more, a familiar tune quickly broke the sullen atmosphere that had somehow begun to ail the interior of the cart, compelling Leo to slam his foot onto the break, forcing the Shellraiser to a screeching halt.

"Donnie!" Leo and Raph snapped back to their brother's suddenly-excited face, but all he did was roll his eyes before he answered the welcomed call.

"Hay, April." He greeted the girl on the line with a cheery voice, the other two still watching him with clear annoyance (while Mickey kept dreaming of cats and pizza).

"Now? Where?" He responded to whatever the redhead was telling him over the phone, "Oh… okay. No, its fine, we're not busy with anything important. I mean, if it's urge— Alright. See you soon."

Donnie quickly noticed his brothers staring at him while he put the T-phone away, and knew immediately that they were looking for a detailed explanation to why he considered looking for mutagen to be un-important – however, with April being a variable, they didn't expect anything else from him.

"April told us to meet her by the noodle shop." He shrugged, the oblivious expression painted across his face revealing that she didn't say why, "Said it's urgent."

It took a lot of convincing for the others to agree to their detour, but when Donnie explained that the mutagen canister was close to Mr. Murakami's restaurant, they were off and knocking a dumpster from one corner of the street to the other with their sharp turns.

"Glad you could make it, Guys." April greeted the turtles while they hopped from the Shellraizer, one after the other in a perfect row, but despite the sweet tone in her voice, all three of them felt something was off – in fact, it was the sweet tone that might have caused their suspicions.

"Did you need us for something?" Leo pressed, but quickly cocked his hairless brow ridge while he watched her send him an innocent smile.

"Actually~" She sang and gently snuck her bangs behind her ear before she begun to sway on the balls of her feet, her arms neatly crossed behind her back, "Now that I think about it, I should have probably asked you guys before I…"

"Before you what?" The four mutants hummed nervously, clearly not liking where the conversation was going.

"It's cold out here, April." A smooth, _pitchy_ voice interrupted any answer that might be given, making the entire team stiffen in horror – even April herself froze, knowing she was in serious trouble. "You said to meet you here, but this is getting ridiculous – my butt's freezing." The voice spoke again and April finally stepped out of the way to reveal the person hidden behind her, "I have a' party ta go to, ya know? My boyfriend's waiting already."

The turtles studied the young woman with utter distaste; from the exaggerated heels strapped to her feet, to the short skirt and mini-shirt barely hiding her tanned skin. Even her long, curly, red locks were perfectly pinned atop her head, while her eyes remained glued to the smartphone in her hand and her jaw clenched and unclenched onto the gum between her teeth – nauseatingly so. She looked like the complete opposite of April herself – a complete priss.

"Uh… Lumina?" April hummed hesitantly, not knowing if grabbing her friend's attention was still the best way to got – judging by the turtles' still-frozen states, at least, "These are the friends I told you about…"

"Hmm?" The redhead hummed with disinterest, but still pushed herself off the shop's outside wall and stepped forward, taking her time before removing her gaze from her phone and onto the strange new friends April wanted to introduce. Everyone watched as her brown eyes rose from their feet to their faces in the slowest movement they had ever seen, every second feeling doom looming higher over them, and could see her eyes growing wider and wider with every passing second.

"Lumine, it's okay, they're the good guys." April tried to stop the clear explosion that was ready to come, but it was no use, before anyone could stop her from doing so, Lumina grasped her hair and released a shrilling scream of terror, letting her now-destroyed phone shatter against the ground by her feet. She quickly turned herself away and dashed down the street, her heels sliding in one spot before they finally scraped against the tar and pushed her forward.

"Wait!" April screamed after her, but didn't seem to reach her friend at all, "Wait, Lumina! They're not going to hurt you!"

"What. Were. You. Thinking!?" Raph finally hollered at April, his eyes burning with rage, and forced her to flinch away from him, "Did you not understand when we told you not to reveal our secret!?"

"We'll talk about that later!" Leo intervened, "We have to catch her before she tells anyone!"

"Right!" Everyone chorused before they disappeared onto the rooftops and after their new _friend_ , completely forgetting the Shellraizer where it stood.

And that is what brings us back to where we were – Lumina running for her life from something she had no idea wasn't threatening in the least. Time and time again, she heard April's voice yelling at her to stop, but the pounding in her chest and ears forced her forward. Her aching legs carried her through the streets – people watching her everywhere she went, but doing nothing to help – until she finally made a turn for the worse and froze in front of the alleyway's brick-walled end – there was no escape in sight.

"Please, Lumina, you have to listen to me." April's voice once again filled her ears, but the loud crashes that sent the ground shaking under her feet afterwards was quick to dismiss her friend's reassuring words and force her to whip around towards the mutants, compelling her to push her back up against the ragged wall. The turtles loomed over her like a dark cloud, only their eyes glowing through the shadows in front of her, and the closer they came, the more her heart hammered between her lungs.

"Get away from me!" She screamed desperately, and for a moment, the situation felt like it was spinning even more out of control, but it was a simple _**crack**_ that forced a silence over them all. Lumina, Leo, Raph, Donnie, April, Mikey – they all glanced up towards the sound above the new girl, but it was only five of the six that looked horrified at what they saw. Still encased within the class confinement, bright green ooze sliced through the darkness above them, conspicuously rolling atop the fire escape, with no cause for its movement in sight, but it was the clear crack in its side that made their stomachs lurch.

With unblinking and curious eyes, Lumina watched a single drop squeeze from the canister and speed down toward her - she didn't move. "No~!" She heard five voices vibrate against the alley walls, everyone jumping her way with every speck of desperation they had, but with not knowing the horrors it may create, Lumina watched the droplet carefully and did nothing to stop it from colliding with her eyes. It was immediate – a scorching heat burnt her eyes like fire and made her scream in agony, her hands quickly covering her face as a hopeless attempt to stop the pain.

"No…" The team breathed hopelessly, knowing there was nothing they could do to stop what has been done.

An unstoppable heat spread from Lumina's eyes to her brain without a care, then begun to sting her scalp like a million spider bites, compelling her screams louder and fiercer. Along with the eyes hidden behind her hands, the roots of her hair lit up with a familiar green light just as her legs buckled beneath her, letting her fall to her knees. With horrified eyes, the team watched as her hair suddenly turned colorless from roots to tip, eliminating the beautiful red color it had and bleaching it to a shade whiter than snow. However, with a heart-wrenching and unexplained turn, the air suddenly turned quieter than a funeral – Lumina's screams fell short, her mouth frozen agape, and her body remained still in its in place while the green glow flickered to nothing.

"Lumina?" April breathed and cautiously stepped closer, but couldn't help but gasp as the now-white-haired girl collapsed against the alleyway floor. "Lumina." She repeated and quickly rushed to her friend's side, but only to freeze at the sigh before her. "Guys…" She whimpered and compelled the other four to step closer, quickly causing them to experience the same state of shock when they gazed into Lumina's _eyes_. Brown irises were nowhere in sight, only white circles were in their place - even the dark pupils in the center gone without a trace.

 **"SHE'S BLIND!?"** They all screamed in disbelief.

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 **COMMENT!** O.O ...please.


	2. Chapter 2

After the turtles had left, the lair was filled with a welcoming and ever-relaxing silence. The scurry of a few rats could be heard every few minutes, but almost not at all. The television's constant scratching and buzzing was the only sound echoing across the abandoned subway station, but even its forgotten gray screen wasn't enough to interrupt the peace the turtles' master found himself basking within. Inside the dojo and beside the magnificent tree growing in its center, Splinter sat with his legs neatly crossed in front of him and his paw-like hands perched atop his knees like delicate flowers. His ears remained held high above his furry head, while his eyes stayed glued shut, his mind without any distraction or any wandering thoughts.

However, thanks to his keen senses, he was quick to hear the fit of squabbles interrupting the silence outside, making one of his ears twitch along with his pink snout – forcing the strange glow coating his skin to dwindle down to nothing. He tried again, his brows tightly knitted together in concentration, but just as his Ki begun to reappear, a loud thump and crash forced it to flicker away once again. He had no choice but to rise to his feet in defeat.

"What is the meaning of this racket!?" He snapped, slamming the dojo's doors open with an unnecessary amount of force, making everyone except himself flinch, but when he saw what was going, his red eyes quickly widened in absolute dismay. There, grasped in each turtle's arms, hung an innocent girl. Leo and Raph each had a tight grip on one of her arms, while the other two mutants kept her legs above ground, April being the only one left to keep her silk, white hair from sweeping against the sewer's contaminated floor.

Yet, it was something entirely different that ailed their master – her eyes. Spread wide with a ghostly and dead stare, directed at the ceiling, with nasty burns surrounding their delicate lids, her eyes were left unblinking despite her unconscious state – it was haunting.

"What happened!?" Splinter barked towards his sons and watched them place her down on the couch while he rushed down the stairs from the dojo and towards the young woman.

"It was my fault." April intervened, peering over Splinter's shoulder while he checked her friend's pulse, and no matter how much she tried to stop it from happening, a crack in her voice revealed how hard she was trying not to cry or sob, "She's been acting strange lately – closed off, and I thought, if she met you guys, she'd become herself again. But then, when she..."  
"She looked at us like a bunch of freaks." Raph interrupted with a furious growl, his arms tightly crossed over his chest like a piece of armor, "She brought it on herself when she ran-"

"Raph!" Donnie cut him off, the only one taking notice of April's guilt-struck face, something he of all people would understand, "Enough! Do you really think this is the time?"

"This is the perfect time, Don!"

"Would you two stop!?" Leo interrupted, but still they continued on, compelling Splinter's fingers to his brow, massaging the stiff muscles in exhaustion.

"If you hadn't let your crush on April get in the way, this would never have happened!"

"Come on, Bro." Mikey tried to stop the fight himself, stepping in between the two, "We shouldn't be fightin'!"

"Get out of the way, Mikey!" Raph merely hissed and shoved his brother out of the way, causing the younger turtle to twirl and tumble to the side, before Raph leaned closer towards Don with a threatening growl, "Wanna go!?"

"Enough!" Splinter finally snapped and made the entire team freeze where they stood, because they knew, if there was anyone they shouldn't disobey, it would be him. "Again I will ask you; what happened?" He demanded to know and could see everyone glancing at another, hoping they would speak up instead.

"She came into contact with mutagen, Mater Splinter." Donnie finally spoke before he scurried off to get his medical supplies, and sat down next to the girl on the couch – checking over her – making sure she was alright. Even though they all knew the results it would bring, Donnie still waved a bright light over her eyes to test their movement – looking for any dilation, blinking, or simple twitch, but like they thought, nothing changed about the white spheres.

"She really is blind?" April gasped and unwittingly rests her hands over her lips, but Donnie still kept perfectly silent, using one medical instrument after the other to see what else had changed. "Strange..." He hummed and scratched his head skeptically, "Other than the clear physical changes, her body seems to respond completely normal. Other than her hair and eyes, she's not mutated."

"That is quite odd compared to the changes we've seen." Splinter nodded in agreement and uncrossed his arms behind his back for a moment, just to run his long fingers down his beard in thought, "Strange indeed."

Their thoughtful wondering quickly came to a halt when a gentle hum echoed across the lair. It was brief and almost relaxing, but it made all their hearts jolt within their chests, even that of Master Splinter. Their gazes quickly shift down to the woman and watched her shoulder adjust and shift against the ratty couch, every moment feeling the tension build. Finally, they saw her scarred eyelids blink, but couldn't help but flinch along with her when the skin around her eyes stung with needles.

"Ugh… What hit me?" She groaned and slowly but surely sat up from the strange surface beneath her, but every inch she moved, she felt her head pound harder, and the farther the other six unknowingly shift backwards. "Did I go to the party?" She wondered out loud and reached forward, barely missing the people standing in front of her, "What idiot put out the lights?"

"Uhm... hello?" She called out into the dark void surrounding her, waving her hands more frantically, but the other six only dodged out of the way, almost like their lives would be taken by a single touch. "I can hear you movin', ya know!?" She snapped, her ears picking up every gentle crape of heels, "This isn't funny!"

"Uhm… Lumina?"

"April?" She gasped and finally wobbled to her feet, reaching forwards and towards the sound of her friend's voice, "Do you know what's going on?"

"Oh, Lumina." She heard April sniff before ten cold fingers wrapped around her own, making her flinch before she realized who's it was, "I'm sorry…"

"What? Was it you who turned off the lights?" Lumina assumed, but quickly felt the grasp on her hands tighten – it was like April was afraid she was going to disappear into thin air. "April?" She questioned slowly, feeling her nerves morph closer into knots, feeling dread clouding her thoughts more with every second, "What's wrong? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry." April repeated, compelling her friend's brows to knit together in annoyance, finally getting irritated from the lack of clarity.

"April." She warned, "If you don't…"

Along with absolute disbelief, the memory of four green mutants flashed through her mind and almost forced her arms to jerk away from April, ripping her hands out of her friend's. The image was too clear to be a dream – four turtles loomed over her like a black mist, and their eyes pierced into her soul like blades. Everyone watched her eyes stare off into nowhere, but the fear that glossed over those white orbs were clear.

"Not this again." She could hear a deep and annoyed voice groan to her left, but all she could do was jump back and let her head snap the turtle's way, no clear focus in her eyes. She wasn't sure if it made her fear worse or not, but she couldn't see a single thing. It was like a dark and endless void surrounding her, only the faintest of sounds echoing in the distance from time to time – not even color was left to gaze upon.

"Please, my son." Splinter stopped Raphael from saying anything more and tried to step closer to the girl, trying to calm her down, using his training as a kunoichi to move as silently as possible, but still he watched her jump back and trip against the ratty couch, slumping back down in her place. He stopped, but his eyes quickly narrowed – something wasn't right. "Curious." He hummed out loud, letting his fingers once again trail down his beard.

"What is going on here?" Lumina hissed through her teeth, getting impatient with the ' _delicate manner'_ she was being treated with – she just wanted answers. "What did you do to me!?" She barked and heard one of the turtles whimper under her demanding voice. Mikey was the only one who was affected by the stranger and felt chills from her tone, quickly making him scurry behind Donnie with twinkling eyes. "She scares me." He whispered, barely loud enough for the others to hear, but somehow, to the white-haired girl, it was as clear as a roar and made her blood boil.

"And you should be scared of me, you freak!" She screamed and shot back to her feet, "Especially if you don't start explaining what the hell you did to me — why can't I see anything!?"

"Please, Lumina." April tried to calm her heaving friend down before placing her hands on her shoulders and pushing her back onto the couch, "Just sit down… this may take a while."

Splinter, Leo, Raph, Mikey, Donnie, and even the silence around them – they all stayed perfectly still while April begun to explain everything to the newcomer. First, April asked Splinter if she could reveal their secrets, but once he gave a hesitant nod, the words flowed from her lips with no end. Lumina didn't move either—her blind eyes kept staring up at the ceiling while she listening to April's explanation with no reaction, or even a speck of proof that she was paying attention. But she was listening. To every word, she was listening with all her heart and with every fleeting speck of hope she had.

She was blind.

Lumina felt her heart sink at those words. It was like a thousand anchors was being chained to her slender form and binding her to where she was in life – she had nowhere to go anymore. What kind of life was she going to live now? A part of her didn't want to believe what she was hearing, but the rest knew it was the truth.

"I was mutated?" She questioned and could hear a small shift in front of her, the only evidence of April's nod other than a small murmur that she couldn't make out.

"With the same mutagen that mutated these five; Leo, Rpah, Donnie, Mikey… and Splinter?"

Another nod.

"I was mutated by a mutagen that was created by the Kraang?"

Another nod.

"Who are looking for you?"

Finally, April froze with a heart-wrenching realization, one that she could feel clouding her organ with guilt. She knew exactly where this was going and she wanted to voice some type of excuse, to try and tell her friend it wasn't her fault, but like a curse, her voice got caught in her throat.

"I was mutated…" Lumina repeated through her teeth, her voice turning louder while her pale hands clenched against her knees, "…because of you?"

"Woah, Dudette!" Mikey interrupted as quickly as he could and scurried up to Lumina's side, his feet feeling heavier than lead, "April didn't know."

"Shut up!" Lumina screamed and swung her arm towards the voice without even the slightest of hesitance, instantly feeling the tinge of satisfaction when the back of her hand collide with cold, reptilian skin, "I don't care! I'm the one who's blind!"

Donnie quickly caught Mikey before he could fall and watched his brother whimper from the sting against his cheek, a red hand-print bulging on the skin.

"Mikey!" Both Raph and April gasped in alarm, but it was Splinter who caught Lumina's arm before she could harm anyone else.

"I understand your frustration." He told her, his voice stern and raised, "But I will not let you harm any of my sons, nor my pupil."

"Don't touch me." She merely hissed in return and tried wrenching her wrist from his grasp, only to feel her joint pop and stretch from the force, "They aren't even your damn sons, genius!"

"Great job, April!" Raph yelled at the redhead still seated on the couch, ignoring Leo's advice to remain calm, "Meet your friend, huh? That's just absolute genius! She's going to tell our secret the first chance she gets!"

"She wouldn't do that-"

"Of course I would!" Lumina continued to scream, now using her free hand to try and free the other, keeping her mind from focusing on the painful pounding resonating from her wrist, "Why the hell would I keep secrets for freaks, which coincidentally, blinded me!"

"Then we have no choice..." Splinter spoke, and even if he hadn't continued yet, everyone – _everyone_ – halted with whatever they were doing. The words weren't even spoken yet and each already had a complaint for a different reason, like they knew exactly what horrors were about to befall them.

"Until we can trust you and you can find it in your heart to both forgive and trust us in return, you have no choice but to stay here."

Little did Master Splinter know, his conditions took more than a month before they were even close to being met.

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 _ **Please comment... it's my only motivator. Advise is always welcome if objective.**_


	3. Chapter 3

Ever since the new girl had arrived, the lair turned quieter with every single day that passed – no one wanted her to know more about them. By the second day, three of the brothers had come to learn that it was best to stay away from her as much as possible, whereas Mikey knew it from the start. Every day, they'd force their younger brother to bring her breakfast, lunch, and dinner – all pizza, but she'd refuse to eat any of it, somehow convinced that pizza was a fatty food and would ruin her body. Of course, Splinter was quick to step in and calmly threatening her with algae and worms if she didn't eat the food she was given. Very effective, his method was. Still, after all the time that passed, she'd only mumble a few words every week, not even that much if April dared to come near her.

A couple of weeks passed with no other change to her edgy behavior. Lumina never left that ragged couch for anything other than a quick stop in the bathroom or to stretch her legs down the subway lines. None of the mutants had to keep a watch on her, seeing as she wouldn't be able to leave in her state, but still she could feel a pair of curious eyes watching her every move – turning more intense with every passing day. It was nerve-wracking.

"I still can't believe Metalhead saved our lives."

Lumina's head gave a brief turn towards the sound of Donnie's voice, but other than that, she remained perfectly still, her knees tightly hugged to her chest.

"He was a good bot, even if he tried ripping off my face." Mikey sniffed.

"That just made him so much cooler." Raph smirked.

The more they spoke about their lost comrade, the higher Lumina's shoulders tensed – it wasn't long before they brushed against her ears. Every day, they whisper their conversations around her, like she was some kind of threat, but still she could hear everything thing they said – from insults to their biggest secrets – even the constant tapping that was caused by Raph secretly playing with his toys. It was all infuriating – just how oblivious did they think she was?

"If you want to whisper, do it properly!" The young woman finally yelled over her shoulder, causing the team to jump in shock before their heads popped out of the dojo, confusion written all over their faces, "All you're doing is being annoying!"

"Child." Splinter interrupted the daily argument that was about to occur before he, himself, stepped out of the dojo and down the steps with slow strides. "I have to wonder... how much did you hear of my sons' conversation?" He asked, approaching her with his arms folded behind his back like they always seemed to be.

"Everything." She huffed and turned her head away from the tall rat, despite not being able to see him anyway, "They speak so damn loud that it's impossible not to!"

"Is that so?" He asked rhetorically and made his stop next to the couch before once again stroking his beard in thought.

Silence befell the entire lair while his thoughts wandered to no end, the turtles staring at their father with nothing but curiosity, but the more it continued, the more Lumina could feel frustration bubbling up her throat. She had to wonder what he was doing, just standing there next to her without a word – looming over her no doubt, but she wasn't going to sit there and wait for an answer that would, most likely, never come.

"What!?" She snapped and gazed up at the unseeable face, her ghostly eyes staring off in whatever random direction they chose, "Something you want to say already? If not, go away."

Ignoring her threats, Splinter nodded to himself and crossed his arms back behind him, done pondering whether his suspicions were correct or not. "In fact, I do have something to ask of you." He confirmed, compelling her unblinking eyes to narrow, "I was wondering if you'd allow me to train you – as an apology for what happened to you, of course."

All three turtles instantly lost their footing at those simple, yet haunting words, forcing them to fall pass the dojo doors and down the short flight of stairs. They didn't' want to believe what they heard – not even Lumina herself, but there was no mistake – they couldn't have heard wrong. Lumina's burnt and healing eyelids were spread wide and her mouth hung agape while she stared up at the faceless man, waiting for a punchline that never seemed to come.

"M-Master!" Leo protested first, only his arms pushing him off the floor.  
"That's insane!" Raph interjected furiously, also barely on his feet.

"The more you train, the more you would be able to see." Splinter told her, ignoring all the objections and protests being tossed into the discussion, "I can teach you to hone your other senses – make them work for you – make your unfortunate situation not be a weakness, but strength."

"I'd rather die." Lumina spoke before he could say any more, her mind already made up and the shock on her face long-since fallen into rage, "There's absolutely no chance in hell that I would even accept your help! 'Unfortunate situation' you say? Who did this? WHO DID THIS TO ME!?"

"Thank god." Raph scoffed with delight, helping the others to their feet as well, "I wouldn't want to train near you anyway."

"Then why the hell keep me here?" She growled and finally shot to her feet before storming towards the subway rails, knowing where they were by now, "I'm so over this already!"  
By heart, she knew where there was a step to climb, where there was a turnstile to jump, and also when she had to turn so she wouldn't faceplant with the Shellraiser. Donnie had unwillingly given her a walking stick, per Splinter's orders, but she didn't need it after the many times she had stretched her legs down the same path.

They all watched her leave, knowing there was no worry or chance that she'd find her way out, but Splinter was the only one to release a long and heavy sigh. He could understand her frustration – it wasn't that hard to, but sometimes he had to wonder why she behaved so cruel when he can see there's kindness trapped in her heart. April told him that the girl had lost her family in an accident the year prior. Everyone except her sister, who Lumina no longer even speaks to, lost their lives, but that wasn't the cause for her anger – April told him it was only a few weeks back that she begun to act strange, like someone else was putting ideas into her head.

Lumina stomped down the subway tunnel with loud and annoyed strides, her fist tightly clenched by her sides, while she grumbled one curse under her breath after the other. "The nerve..." She hissed before she suddenly heard the tap of her feet echo, indicating a tunnel to her side, compelling her to stop for a second before she made a turn into the sewers. "...of that man – that thing." She continued to hiss, making more turns and discovering new tunnels along the way. She didn't care if she got lost – she didn't worry in the least, she just wanted to leave.

A high-pitched screech quickly brought an end to her constant grumbling and made her flinch to a stop, feeling something wiggle beneath the sole of her foot. She jumped back with a horrified yelp and could hear the nasty rat scurry off into the distance before her butt collided with the sewer floor, a clear thumb echoing through the tunnels. It was only then that she was struck with a sudden sense of disbelief – was she really trapped in the sewer filled with rats, running from mutants, and as blind as a bat?

"What the hell is going on!?" She yelled into the dark abyss at the top of her lungs, feeling her eyes glossing over with tears threatening to fall, "How the hell did it come to this!? I didn't want this!"

Her heart was pounding, her ears were ringing, filthy water was seeping into her tattered skirt, and all the while, the cold night air was nipping at her nose, trying its best to make her sick. Dread clouded her thoughts like a wave of obsolete. She thought she could only sit there and wither away – no one would even notice, but it was gentle whirring and a few familiar pops piercing through the darkness that once again gave her a glimmer of hope.

Her eyes widened for the briefest of moments before she shot to her feet and ran towards the sound, not caring if she might collide with a wall, which surprisingly, didn't happen. Honking of cars became clearer the farther she moved, the sound just as annoying as she remembers, but for the first time in her life, she welcomed it.

"Hay!" She called, hoping someone was there to hear her, but could only hear and smell a jumbled mess of barking, howling, car exhausts, and discarded hotdogs in return. "Hay!" She tried again before she gasped and tripped against the ragged floor, colliding with a pool of water. However, she didn't dare to stop, and merely got back up and continued running, ignoring the blood trickling down her shins.

She could hear the city life from underground – but how? It was as clear as day – but how?  
How, you ask? She couldn't care less.

Her legs were pushing her forward without a care, and before long, a sudden light blurred across the black abyss. Instinctively, her hands begun to wave all around her, searching for the cause, but all she found was a cold and filthy surface, making her hands retract in disgust. Yet, she only needed a few seconds before she realized that the filthy surface was her savior – an exit.

She took a deep breath, clenched her jaw, and searched every ounce of motivation she had before she reached forward and grasped onto the steel ladder, whimpering slightly when she felt the wet bars squelch under her fingers. "God, this better be worth it." She whispered to no one before she begun to climb from the sewers and back to where she believed she must belong – New York City.

For a second, feeling an even colder gush of air wash over her, Lumina wanted to be back in the sewers, but she quickly dismissed the thought and hugged her arms into a tight knot. Basking in the moonlight that she couldn't even see, she wandered towards the street, the sound if speeding cars very clear.

Someone ran to her side almost immediately, seeing her disheveled and shivering state, but before the elder woman could even ask if she was alright and check her over, Lumina already demanded to use her phone to make a call. With an annoyed scowl, the woman did as told and dialed the number she was asked to. Lumina took the ancient piece of technology and pressed it close to her ear, hoping she could absorb the battery's worth, but was only met with disappointment while she listened to the familiar ringing.

"H-Hay, babe, it's Lumina." She stuttered in the cold and instantly got a response from someone on the other end of the line, "Sorry to bother you, but can I get a ride?"

With the help of the elderly stranger, she told her friend the address and merely needed to wait for him to arrive, almost dreading the moment he shows... which he did – along with two of his buds. The man's eyes spread huge when he saw her state and demanded to know what happened, but she couldn't seem to reveal what she had learned and merely gave him a sloppy kiss before she hopped inside her boyfriend's van.

"You're a lifesaver." She sighed and collapsed in the back of the vehicle, nothing on her mind other than rest, but clearly, her boyfriend had other plans – he had to know what happened to her. Just like every other time she was around him and his crew, a nagging voice screamed at the back of her mind, but just like always, she didn't listen.

"Get us out of here." Her boyfriend ordered his buds before he took the spot next to her, placing his bony hand on her shoulder for reassurance, "Now, please... what happened?"

"I don't really remember." She lied, her head lowering more with every word brushing pass her dry lips, "Some guys ganged up on me, and after that, it's a complete blur."

"You've been gone for weeks." He explained, assuming she didn't even know that much, "Last thing I heard from you was that you were going out with your friend, and then, nothing. I was worried!"

"I know." She sighed, "And I'm sorry."

"What about April?" He questioned, "Did she have something to do with this? Where is she now?"

It wasn't the first time – nearly every single time they were together, Fong would bring April into their conversation, but every time it happened, Lumina forced herself not to comment, thinking she was paranoid.

"I don't know." Lumina groaned and finally heard the van whir down the busy street, the other two friends hidden in the front seats, "I don't remember."

"Is it possible that those four took her, too?" Fong questioned again, but this time, Lumina froze, his words echoing through her mind with no end, "Do you know if she's alright?"

"Four?" Lumina echoed his words in a single, horrified breath, "I never said there were four."

"We got the girl." Sid's whispering voice echoed through the metal barrier of the van at the most convenient moment possible. Lumina knew there was no possible way she should have been able to hear what he said, just like so many other things the last few days, but that wasn't a priority right now.

Like a knife to her heart, realization struck and disorientated Lumina for a moment before she shot as far away from her boyfriend as possible, colliding against the van's interior.

"You..." She breathed in utter terror, her heartbeat growing louder and more frantic with every passing second. She couldn't believe what was happening. Sid, Fong, Tsoi – they were all pretending this entire time. She knew they were with the purple dragons, but this was worse than she ever thought possible. She thought it strange that he didn't have more questions about her blindness, and that he always wanted to know so much about April, but everything seemed to fall into place in one fell swoop.

"You did this." She concluded out loud, "You're working with the Kraang?"

The blow to her head was all the answer she needed before her consciousness drifted away.

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 ** _PLEASE comment! It's the only motivator I have._**


	4. Chapter 4

Master Splinter and his sons were relieved to have the girl away for a while, just so everything could return to normal, but the longer her absence drew on, the more Splinter found himself worry. He was back next to the tree, attempting to reenter his meditative state, but every time he so much as came close to detaching from the real world, the sight of the young woman storming away would once again ail him. Was she lost - he wondered. Or maybe she was attacked - he offered up as a possibility, but quickly shook it off.

Maybe he should have told her the truth of why he offered to train her? Maybe she would have remained calm?

Donnie, Raph, Leo, and even Mikey, weren't any less worried, despite how they felt about her. They each slouched in random spot on the now-free couch and glued their eyes to the TV for the first time in weeks, but the longer her absence continued, the more their concentration turned elsewhere, until finally-

"Guys!" April's panicked voice instantly made their eyes rip from the screen and towards the entrance of their lair, almost hoping it was Lumina's white hair they would see, not the familiar red ponytail. "We have a problem!" She forced out in between her frantic breaths and ran into the dip in the center of the room, where the others still sat.

"What's wrong?" Donnie was the first to press, cautiously moving up in front of her, "Did something happen?"

"It's Lumina!" She cried before shoving her T-phone into the turtle's hand, "I got this text from her number!"

 **"Your friend is taking from the place she was being. If you are strong as you saying you were being, come and faces Kraang in the place where Kraang is waiting for you to facing Kraang."** Donnie read the text carefully, growing more horrified with each word, **"Come to the abandoning factory at the edge of the city where the abandoning factory is."**

"Oh, come on, she's probably just messing with us, guys." Raph interrupted with a scoff, "She's probably bored and stuck in the sewers, passing her time on her phone."

"She doesn't have a phone, Raph!" April snapped, "She dropped it the night she was mutated, and none of us took it! And also, we never told her how the Kraang speak!"

"Oh..."  
"Still, she could've worked with the Kraang from the beginning." Raph still insisted, trying to object to the mere idea of saving Lumina's life, "It wouldn't surprise me."

"Raph!" Donnie hushed him, "Could you-!"

"You can't say you weren't thinking the same thing!" He growled in return.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Raph might have a point." Leo joined in, "It's obviously a trap, and I really don't feel like risking this team for someone like her."

"Leonardo!" Splinter's scolding voice quickly put an end to their squabbling, his presence almost startling, "I don't ever want to hear you say that again! I understand the stakes, but her life is in the hands of the Kraang, because of our mistakes."

"Because of MY mistake." April interrupted, emphasizing the singular form of her words, "And I'm going to fix it. I'm coming with you."

Everyone tried to object to April getting involved, knowing she's most likely what their trap was planned for, but being as stubborn as she is, she was zooming across the rooftops with the four of them before long.

"Yo, guys!" Casey's voice called from the street when they were getting closer to their destination, "What's the rush!?"

Casey's legs burned from the constant and vigorous peddling he had to imply on his bicycle to keep up, speeding after only the glimpses he could spot of his friends, but still he heaved for air and kept up. He had gotten a text from April only a few minutes back, telling him it was incredibly urgent that he showed, and being the love-struck teen he was, he used every ounce of strength he had to rush to the address. His mask had slipped from the top of his head and onto his face along the way, but his gloved hands stayed glued to the steering, not daring to let go.

The others didn't answer and merely continued until the factory was in their sights before they jumped down from the buildings and whipped in behind the trashcans and garbage bags.  
"Alright." Leo whispered harshly, "We need a plan."

"Why?" Raph asked, just like he usually did, "They already know we're coming."

"Dudes!" Everyone heard Mikey's gasp, and quickly looked around for the turtle, only to discover he's nowhere close by.

"Mikey?" They all called and rushed around to find the younger mutant, but the familiar buzzing and whirs brought them to a quick stop. Slowly – slower than a snail, they turned towards the threatening sound, but were only met with a few dozen and glowing, purple barrels. Clutched within metallic and blue-coated hands, sci-fi weapons were held by the Kraang and used to keep the five teammates and the Kraang's objective in place.

"You are going to be taking to the place where Kraang wants you to be taking to." They chorused and gave a single nod backwards, a silent command for the team to go inside, "The one called Lumina is being holding inside, where the one called Lumina is being holding."

"Play along…" Donnie whispered, and for a moment, it seemed like the others wanted to refuse, but when the Kraang stepped closer, everyone quickly lift their hands in surrender. Of course, Casey would never admit it was an actual surrender – neither would Raph.

The crowd of Kraang soldiers parted from one another, creating a pathway for their captives to move through, before they glued their guns to their backs and followed them inside. The turtles and two humans were led inside the old, run-down building and forced to gaze upon the crumbling concrete walls, wood-patched windows, and peeling paint before they were directed down a metallic staircase, the bars becoming less rusted the deeper they went. Absentmindedly, April's eyes moved from one flickering light to the other while she and the others passed beneath them, but when they finally reached their destination, the ragged cave walls were replaced by stainless steel and an advanced, bright light nearly blinded them all.

April's rapidly blinking eyes were the first to adjust to the change in surroundings, but when the blur faded from her vision; she couldn't stop herself from gasping a quick and startling "Lumina".

At the very end of the large, four-walled room, Lumina's bruised body was chained against the wall and high up in the air, her scraped toes not even close to brushing against the floor. Her silk, white hair was disheveled and dusty – her face hidden in its shade while her head limply dangled from her neck – and not even an inch did she budge.

"Lumina!" April screamed for her friend, but still – nothing.

The four brothers, and even Casey, who didn't exactly have the best first impression of the girl when he visited the lair, gaped up at the girl in completely and utter dismay. Her clothes were torn, her skin was covered with bruises and bleeding scrapes, and despite not being able to see her usually-annoyed expression, they knew it had been replaced by an empty and dead stare.

"Lumina!" April still continued to scream at her friend, ignoring the Kraang's continues chatter around her, "Wake up, Lumina! We're here to help, okay!?"

"April…?" A weak and tired grumble quickly made their hearts leap with joy and their hope burn into an inextinguishable flame – she was alright, "You were right… about the Kraang… They really are gross, and I don't even have to see them to know this."

The hoarse and forced chuckle that Lumina created quickly brought a smile to April's lips. She may be in pain and all, but Lumina sounded more like herself that she ever had in the last few months.

"Alright guys!" Leo grinned and slashed his katanas by his sides before holding them at the ready, "Let's do this and get Lumina back to the lair!"

"Right!" Raph smirked and gave his Sais a quick twirl before clutching them between his thick, reptilian fingers, "About time, Leo!"

However, they waited for Donnie to sheath his Bo and Mikey to swing one end of his Nunchaku beneath his arms before they were really ready to go.

"Cowabunga!" Mickey's playful warrior cry echoed across the basement and finally, they all charged – all except Casey and April, who rushed to free Lumina from her shackles and chains.

 _A short chapter, I know, but at least it's something, right? ^^ It's actually a thank you for my first reviewer. (You know who you are.)  
Please, remember to like, __**comment**_ _, and follow!_ _ **Mostly comment**_ _._


	5. Chapter 5

This is a thank you to PopcornWolf10 and The Dreamer for their stunning comments and reviews! Love you guys!

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At the edge of New York City and pass all the streets that was still filled with bustling chatters and cell phone beeps, there stood an abandoned and crumbling factory. However, unlike any other simple night, deep beneath the building's flooring, endless clashing of blades was muffled by the basement walls, followed by the jingling of chains every so often.

April and Casey attempted one strategy after the other in order to free Lumina from her shackles, but the kidnappee wasn't exactly making their task easy for them – her hoarse voice filled their ears while she frantically ordered them to quicken their pace.

"Would you guys hurry!?" Raph joined Lumina many times while he dodged laser beams from left and right, but the two who were actually picking the lock ignored distractions as much as possible.

"Even I can't unlock these!" Casey finally gave and dropped from his tiptoes, dropping his arms at his sides, "It's impossible! Like Donnie said, this isn't even an earthy metal."

"What!?" Lumina exclaimed and leaned closer to him on instinct, but only to wince when the shackles pulled against her already-bleeding wrists, "Keep trying, buffoon!"

"At least you're more energetic now." April chuckled before two strong arms jerked her off her feet and hugged her against a hard surface, making her release a quick yelp. "Watch out!" Donnie had exclaimed and quickly pulled April out the line of fire, forcing her into his arms. The familiar and dangerous purple beam sliced a piece of April's red hair before it sheered into the metal wall, leaving behind only a black stain.

"Th-thanks." April mumbled in terror's aftermath, watching her hairs float to the floor.

"I-I'll do it." Donnie stuttered, his cheeks burning while he tried to ignore April's back pressing to his plastron, and finally let go of his crush so he could rush in front of Lumina, his tall stature making it easy for him to reach her wrists. It didn't take him long at all – only one or two agonizing minutes passed before the cuffs clinked open and Lumina gasped, collapsing onto Donnie and sending him crashing against the floor along with her.

"You idiot." She hissed and trailed her wandering hands across the plastron that broke her fall, trying to get at least some kind of picture to her surroundings, "Have you ever tried playing catch? Like, _ever_!?"

"You have a strange way of saying thank you." Donnie hissed and wrenched the blind girl's hands away from him, making her wince from the strain of his tight grasp. Yes, his patience was tested, and he did feel anger boil up his throat like heartburn, but still he let a quick 'sorry' slip when he saw her face contort in pain.

"Can you walk?" Donnie questioned, peering over her body that still lay on top of him, and stared, questionably, at her bruised and scraped feet, "Did they hurt you too much?"

Lumina was compelled to look at the turtle in shock, her aimless eyes widening, surprised by the concern in his voice despite her behavior the last few weeks, but one quick 'HURRY!' from another turtle and her dismay was shattered. "Y-Yeah…" She nodded and pushed herself back to her aching feet, stumbling into April's arms somewhere along the way, "They didn't really hurt me that much – most of my injuries were from running and falling through the sewers with no protection."

With the bitter tone she accidentally let slip with her explanation, all three (Casey, April, and Donnie) felt a sting pf guilt, knowing it was their fault for not making sure she was alright when she ran off, but they did and said nothing – all April did was drape Lumina's arm over her shoulder and help her towards the stairs.

"Come one guys!" Donnie called over his shoulder when he reached the stairs as well, knowing some of his brothers got lost in the fight, which they obviously did.

For pure pleasure, Raph landed one, two, or maybe ten more hits while Leo barked for him to follow, him being right behind Mikey. Still, Raph made sure all the Kraang were on their knees before he rushed out of the basement.

"Next time, tell us before you decide to go rushing out of the sewers!" The fuming turtle snapped at Lumina as soon as his red bandanna popped from the hole in the floor, but to his own confusion, the white-haired girl gave no snarky response and kept silent for what felt like forever.

"Lumina?" April questioned gently and only stared at her friend, who she still supported against her own person, "You alright?"

Lumina nodded slowly, but still forced April to stop walking before she looked the others' way, not knowing she was actually staring up at the roof. "I'm sorry." She mumbled hesitantly, her words leaving behind a bitter taste on her tongue – they didn't have to know that though, "Especially you, Michelangelo. I apologize for slapping you – I was frustrated. And… thank you all – for saving me."

While Casey, Raph, Leo, April, and Donnie all blinked in disbelief, their minds now occupied on something else than the Kraang closing in, Mikey's innocent grin instantly showed, reaching all the way up to his non-existent ears. "No big', Dudette!" He giggled and motioned to his own, round cheek, "Didn't even feel it!"

Lumina felt like his unintentional insult jabbed her heart like terrible acupuncture, but still she forced herself to create a ghostly smile – its artificial aura going unnoticed by the others.

"Lumina!" Someone suddenly barked and quickly forced everyone's attention towards the dark figure blocking the exit, his appearance hidden by his own shadow thanks to the light behind him. At that moment, the Kraang was quick to show, crowding behind the team like a stormy cloud, but no one panicked – surprisingly, not even Lumina, who should be horrified by her new surroundings.

"Fong…" Lumina was the first to hiss and forced her arm out of April's grip before she stepped forward, her legs secretly shaking under her weight, "…I was wondering when you'd show. Now, can I kick your cowardice ass?"

"For what it's worth… I really did like you." The dark figure sighed before walking closer to her and into the light, which was barely bright enough to reveal his scarred chest, his dark hair and beard, and his pointless black waistcoat – all familiar traits Lumina could no longer see. Yet, his voice was something she couldn't forget.

" _You're so cute when you're angry."_ She could still remember him whispering sweetly in her ear, which forced her to release a giggle in that past moment, but this time, in the present, the mere memory made her fists and jaw clench. He's always given her the cheesiest lines, whether it was in a moment of passion or in a moment of absolute whimsy, and she always found it absolutely adorable, but right now, she had to think – he was probably too stupid to think of anything else.

"When I met you, I didn't know you knew the Kraang girl." He shrugged, already getting dangerously close to his ex-girlfriend, "But when I found out, I had no choice."

"Shut up and bring it, asshole!" Lumina roared, quickly forcing him to a startled halt, "You talk way too much – you always have – and I'm so over it!"

"Wait, Lumina." Leo intervened, "I really don't think that's-"

"I know I'll lose. I'm not an idiot. I've had no martial arts training." Lumina confessed, "But… I could work off a little steam, and this moron is the perfect target."

"Oh, and by the way, Fong." She continued and moved into her sister's fimiliar stance, not really caring for the others' approval on the matter, and they clearly got the hint, "Guess what… I was using you too. After my parents passed and my sister decided I was a helpless sheep, I was pissed off – I wanted to look out for myself. Then, low and behold, you showed up – the perfect protection. You were so easily used."

"You little…!" Fong was quick to snap, but unlike what he wanted, his words brought a smirk to Lumina's pink lips. She launched herself forward – towards his annoying voice, and begun to flail her fist through the black void surrounding her, creating one sloppy punch after the other, but like everyone thought (even her), Fong dodged her attacks like they were nothing – most of her punches didn't even come close to grazing his skin.

"Just… one…" She begged to no one in particular, but her determined whispers were suddenly brought to an end when the team screamed at her to watch out, follow by a wave of pain shooting through her arm. A clear crack echoed across the room when her fist collided against the concrete wall, a solid object unseen by her blind eyes, forcing an agonizing screech from her lips before she hugged her hand close, feeling her blood pounding inside of it.

"Serves you right." She heard Fong scoff by her side, but in a moment where time seemed to slow, she felt the hairs on her neck stand on end – a cold breeze brushed against her neck, making her eyes widen before she ducked to the side on instinct, feeling only Fong's knuckles graze her cheek before his own punch also collided with the already-brittle wall.

"Fuck!" Fong cursed when his wrist cracked against the surface like hers had, but Lumina only stumbled back in complete shock – it was no less shock than her heroes felt, who were staring at the fight in utter disbelief.

"How…?" Lumina breathed out loud – how did she know of his attack?

However, before anyone could really process their confusion, Fong already retaliated and kicked her way, letting his heel dig into her side and send her tumbling against the floor and into the wall with a sickening gasp.

Whatever luck she had with his punch, it was gone.

"Ow…" Lumina groaned and tried pushing herself off the floor, but the blood pounding in her ears made the world wobble endlessly, sending her swaying from one side to the other on her hands and knees – she hated it.

She could hear Fong's footsteps becoming louder, but it echoed on one side of her and then the other, disorienting her to no end – it was horrid and nauseating.

"This is just pathetic, really." Fong growled down at her, sheathing his knife for the final attack, but still he made no move – he only stood there, staring at her. "You know… I did mean it – I did like you." He continued under his breath, words going unnoticed by Lumina while she tried to distinguish up from down, "But we have our orders from the Shredder."

"No you don't!" Mikey yelled and finally charged in, the others following quickly behind – they've seen enough to know what would follow, and to know that they didn't want it to happen. Fong was forced to duck away from Mikey's speeding attack, but after that, he was perfectly safe – the team only grabbed Lumina and zoomed from the building like there was no tomorrow.

Hugged tightly in Raphael's arms, Lumina could hear Fong screaming at the Kraang, ordering them to move and not just stand there, but alas, before they even had a chance, she, April, Casey, and the other four disappeared into the night without a trace, slipping back into the sewers she escaped from.

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 **COMMENT!** (O.O) …please.


	6. AN

(Yes, we all hate these, but bear with me, please?)

There will not be any updates this following week or this weekend. My college finals and assignments are my focus currently, and unfortunately, that will not change. I hope I have all of yours' understanding.  
Have a good week and good luck to you all!


	7. Chapter 6

When someone asks you what white feels like, what would you say? Would you say it feels cloudy and soft? Or maybe you'd say that it feels like nothing: like air or water? Well, to Lumina, it felt like scolding fire and gravel scraping against her skin, but that could have been the fractured bones that complained under the white bandages that were being wrapped around her wrist.

Rubbery, cold skin brushed against her mutilated hand while one of the turtles tried to mend it. With her colorless, empty eyes, she couldn't see exactly how bad her wounds were, but the crack she heard when she punched the wall a few hours ago was all the indication she needed to know it wasn't good, and she knew the others were no different. And so, she sat in silence and didn't dare to move, too afraid she'd ruin the turtle's process – she was already blind, she didn't need an unusable limb in her future as well. Yet, she couldn't help but flinch and hiss in pain every now and then, a reflex that was too tempting to resist, even after her _doctor_ told her to stay still. The only positive thing she could find from the situation was the ability she lacked to see him injecting her with a painkiller, the sight of the nauseating syringe lost to her – of course, she only allowed him to do this after a half-hour discussion of trying to confirm it was sterilized properly. Nevertheless, by the time he finished, the iron scent of blood was invading Lumina's senses to the point of disgust.

"Thank you." She mumbled as nothing more than an obligation before curiously trailing her unscathed fingers over the others, attempting to feel how well he had mended what the Kraang had done to her during their interrogation – that is, most of the damage was done by the Kraang's new ally, not by them. Whichever way, Lumina found her eyes widening in dismay when her fingers skimmed the Band-Aid on her cheek and the stiches on her cuts; for a moment, as she felt the expertly-done work, she doubted the fact that she concluded only a few second ago that he had three fingers on each hand, given the fact that she barely felt most of what he did.

"It was my pleasure." The turtle chuckled, seeing her otherwise dead eyes glossing over with astonishment, filling him with a sense of pride that his brothers would never have allowed him to have, but the moment he realized that she probably had no idea which of his brothers he was, his ego deflated significantly. He had no idea that she's been trying to figure out which brother he was since he first began to dress her up like an Egyptian mummy.

"I see you are feeling better." A gentle, smooth voice stopped anything more from being said, compelling Lumina to jump at the sudden interruption. Still, she quickly recognized who it was and looked away from the rat – their last conversation didn't exactly end too well when she rejected his offer to train her.

"You kidding? She looks like a zombie." A new turtle walked into the room, scoffing at the sight of her wrapped body and the dozens of bruises that could still be seen peeking out, but quickly paused when her eyes aimlessly searched for him, dark circles underneath them and nasty burns still littering her temples from her mutation, "…more than before, I mean."

"Raphael!" Splinter scolded quickly, whisking around to his son, "The wounded cannot fall any farther than where it lays unless it is pushed by another, but pushed too far and it might not be able to stand back up."

 _'A deep, raspy, and smug tone—'_ , Lumina thought to herself, '— _Raphael.'_

"Yes, Master Splinter." Raphael grumbled despite himself, but Lumina could clearly hear he had no idea what Splinter meant, compelling her to roll her eyes, oblivious to Splinter's ear twitching at her movement.

"I tried limiting it," her doctor spoke again, the sound of him placing all of his tools back into a metal container hitting painfully against her eardrums, "but she was hurt badly."

"I know, Donatello." Splinter consoled the young turtle sincerely, "Help is welcomed no matter how it turns out or how Raphael feels about it," he gave Lumina an expecting look, "and I am sure she agrees."

 _'The smart one, the timid one—_ ' She simply continued to think to herself as they spoke, making sure to nod at Splinter's silent demand as well—how she knew about it, she wasn't sure, _'—Donatello.'_

"Master Splinter," Someone suddenly interjected behind her and compelled her head to turn his way on instinct, relieved that the broody and overwhelming aura that nipped at her back was finally shattered, "you said something was curious about her fight?"

"Indeed, Leonardo." Splinter nodded, unsure, and stroked his long beard in thought, his towering figure stepping closer to the young girl as he studied her with narrowed eyes. The silence that immediately filled the room set Haley's entire body in unease, the hairs on her neck standing on end and forced her to shift uncomfortably under Splinter's unseen stare, but still she couldn't blame him – she had an odd and dreaded inkling of his reasons, as well as a suspicion that she was correct. Yet, throughout it all, she quickly made a note of the on-point and tightly-knitted brother as well – _Leonardo_. _One more_ , she thought to herself, _so the chipper one has to be Mickey_.

"My sons told me how you were able to dodge the attack of your opponent – only the first, yes, but for someone who cannot see, it is impressive." Splinter broke the quiet, finally breaking free of his thoughts, "I will ask you again: will you allow me to train you in the art of a shinobi?"

Lumina clenched her fists in anger at his offer, a dark frown kitting her brows together – she was no fool, she knew what was going on. "I was mutated in more than appearance, wasn't I?" She interrupted coolly and could almost feel the others freeze at her sudden announcement – that is, everyone except the rat in front of her, "That's how I could sense Fong's attack?"

"Yes," Splinter nodded with pity, knowing she didn't want anything to do with their kind in the first place, and now she realized she was more like them than she thought, "it seems that you were changed in many different ways. As for how many ways and in which ways: only time can tell."

Instantly, Lumina groaned in exasperation – though she knew from the start that her suspicions were correct, having it confirmed made her stomach lurch, her head shaking with the need to disagree. No matter how much she tried to deny it, however, it wasn't going to change the fact that she was struck with the truth. Not to mention, she had a task to fulfill. Gulping her protests down her dry throat and clenching her jaw to bite back her instinct to speak out, she forced herself to keep quiet, her heart weighing heavier by the second – whether it was from guilt or crushed pride, she wasn't sure.

"Fine." She spat, the word like bitter poison as it slipped from her tongue, "I'm in this mess, so I might as well learn to protect myself." She could practically feel the turtles leering at her, their furious looks like fire against her skin, but through the suffocating anger, she could feel a sense of proud coming from their father in front of her, confusing her immediately.

"Exactly," He chuckled with a knowing tone that made Lumina tense like the accused on trial before she followed him back to the dojo, not daring to voice her uneasy feeling. Discretely, she slipped un unscathed hand into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around a cold, metallic sphere to make sure it was still there, her eyes pointlessly flickering over her shoulder to the others to make sure they didn't see her movements. Of course, she knew they wouldn't know the truth anyway – they didn't know He was there.

 _"Just watch them and give us intelligence through the device."_ The armored man's deep and ghastly voice repeated in her mind, the feeling of his blades brushing over her stomach still tickling her flesh, _"When we give you the signal, you will give us your position, and then, in return, these creatures will give you the cure – even a child like you should be able to do this easily."_

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 ** _I know it's been forever and this chapter is pretty awful, but I've been updating my Planet Of The Apes fanfiction a lot lately and I thought I shouldn't make you guys feel too left out. XP_ _Anyways, please remember to comment what you guys think! Feedback is really the only thing that keep these updates coming._**


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